1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to bibs, and more particularly to a compound bib having a primary bib member which serves to protect the exterior surface of garments worn in the vicinity of the chest of the bib wearer and a secondary bib member which serves to protectively cover the under surface of the garments from the adverse effects of spills at the front neck and chest area of the bib wearer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Bibs are worn by children and adults for the same basic reason: they serve as a shield against soiling of garments, such as when foods are being eaten of a type which may entail the possibility of spillage or when dental procedures are being performed. Conventional bibs are formed of an apron-like member which is sized to fit over the chest area of the garments of the wearer and further includes a pair of tie members which mutually encircle the wearer's neck and are thereupon tied together to hold the apron-like member in place. The apron-like member may include disposable or nondisposable materials, and is frequently constructed of cloth, paper or plastic material.
Problematically, a conventional bib does not protect the bib wearer from the effects of running spills which run down the neck of the bib wearer and pass underneath the apron-like member at the wearer's neck. In such a case, the spill would encounter the under surface of the garments of the bib wearer regardless of whether or not a bib is being worn.
Examples of interesting bibs are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,442,552 to Bolick et al, dated Apr. 17, 1984 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,523,565 to Gardner, dated Sep. 26, 1950.
The Bolick et al disclosure is related to providing a good, secure fit of a bib with respect to a wearer without need of ties or other connection members. Bolick et al accomplish this by providing a bib having a triangularly shaped cut-out through which the wearer's head and neck project, wherein the bib lies over the shoulders and extends over the upper back of the wearer. The material of the cut-out may be doubled over at the chest of the wearer or may be removed entirely. A preferred bib material is a laminate of an absorbent fiber sheet on either or both sides of a spunbonded nonwoven sheet or on one side of a water impervious film of polyethylene, polypropylene or the like. While Bolick et al teach folding over the cut-out material to provide a double layer of protection, it is respectfully submitted that there is no mention of how to prevent running drips from soiling the under surface of the wearer's garment next to the skin.
The Gardner disclosure is also related to providing a good, secure fit of a bib with respect to the wearer without resort to ties or other connection members. Gardner accomplishes this by providing a bib having a body portion and a tuck-in member connected with the body portion. The body portion has a neck cut-out and the tuck-in member is structured to be tucked under a wearer's garment about the entire circumference of the wearer's neck. The material of the bib may be a laminate. While Gardner teaches tucking of a tuck-in member under a garment of a wearer, this, it is respectfully submitted, is only for the purpose of holding the bib in proper position with respect to the wearer. For example, it is possible that the tuck-in member might be tucked under a shirt but not under an undershirt that is also being worn, yet the bib might just as well be held in place.
Accordingly, there still remains unanswered the problem of how a bib may be structured and used so as to prevent running drips from soiling either or both the exterior surface and under surface of the garments of a wearer adjacent the front neck and chest area of the wearer.